The gift of feedback
Feedback is a gift, right? Does it feel that way when others tell you something you really didn’t want to hear? Feedback may be a gift, but giving it is an art that many have not yet perfected. An article in Forbes offers some helpful tips for improving your approach when giving feedback:
- • Start by setting the agenda: “Do you have time for me to share some feedback with you?”
- • Get straight to the point (without making it personal): “I feel your language in that meeting came across as pretty direct and pointed.”
- • Ask for their perspective: “What’s your reaction to that?” According to the author, you DO NOT want to ask how they thought the interaction/meeting went. That puts you in a position where you have to disagree or debate.
- • If possible, allow the person to come up with their own solutions.
- • If they still do not acknowledge or recognize the behavior, you have to be candid: “I’m afraid we see that differently” or “I have to disagree”.
By the way, if you want to give me a gift, please send shoes or chocolate!
